Jacksonville State vs. Sam Houston odds, line, spread, time: 2023 picks, Week 5 predictions by advanced model

Teams looking to make their mark in their first season at the FBS level and in Conference USA clash on Thursday night when the Jacksonville State Gamecocks face the Sam Houston Bearkats. The Gamecocks (3-1, 1-0 Conference USA) used a solid defense to register a 21-0 win over Eastern Michigan last week, Jacksonville State’s first shutout since 2018. The Gamecocks allowed just 152 total yards, including 57 rushing yards. The Bearkats (0-3), who were beaten 38-7 at Houston last week, are looking for their first win over an FBS opponent since defeating New Mexico 48-45 in 2011.  

Kickoff is set for 8 p.m. ET. The Gamecocks are 7-point favorites in the latest Jacksonville State vs. Sam Houston odds, while the over/under for total points scored is set at 36.5. Before locking in any Sam Houston vs. Jacksonville State picks, you need to see the college football predictions and betting advice from SportsLine’s proven computer model.

The SportsLine Projection Model simulates every FBS college football game 10,000 times. Since its inception, the proprietary computer model has generated a stunning profit of almost $2,500 for $100 players on its top-rated college football picks against the spread. Anyone who has followed the model has seen huge returns.

Now, the model has set its sights on Jacksonville State vs. Sam Houston and just revealed its picks and predictions. You can visit SportsLine now to see the model’s CFB picks. Here are several college football odds and trends for Sam Houston vs. Jacksonville State:

• Jacksonville State vs. Sam Houston spread: Jacksonville State -7
• Jacksonville State vs. Sam Houston over/under: 36.5 points
• Jacksonville State vs. Sam Houston money line: Jacksonville State -273, Sam Houston +218
• JAXST: The Gamecocks have gone under the game total in their last four matchups
• SH: The Bearkats have gone under the game total in two of their last three games
• Jacksonville State vs. Sam Houston picks: See picks at SportsLine
• Jacksonville State vs. Sam Houston live stream: fubo (try for free)

Why Jacksonville State can cover

Sophomore linebacker Larry Worth is already making an impact on defense for the Gamecocks. He has 16 tackles, including four solo, with two sacks for 16 yards, one forced fumble, and one interception. In the season-opening win over UTEP on Aug. 26, he registered five tackles, including two solo, with 1.5 sacks. In two seasons at Jacksonville State, he has 36 tackles, including 14 solo, with one pass breakup, two sacks, two forced fumbles, and one interception.

Offensively, senior running back Malik Jackson leads the team in rushing with 376 yards on 64 carries (5.9 average) and two touchdowns. He has two 100-yard rushing efforts, including a 21-carry, 127-yard performance against Eastern Michigan on Saturday. He also carried 12 times for 100 yards (8.3 average) and one touchdown in a 49-3 win over East Tennessee State. He is in his first season with the Gamecocks after four years at Louisiana-Monroe. See which team to pick here.

Why Sam Houston can cover

Graduate quarterback Grant Gunnell took over the starting reins last week against Houston. Against the Cougars, he completed 14 of 22 passes (63.6%) for 100 yards. He is in his first season with the program after spending last year at North Texas. Prior to that, he was the quarterback at Arizona. In 2019, he completed 101 of 155 passes (65.2%) for 1,239 yards and nine touchdowns against one interception. For his career, he has completed 183 of 279 passes (65.6%) for 2,039 yards and 15 touchdowns. He has been picked off five times.

The Bearkats were able to cover in their first two games against BYU and Air Force thanks largely to a strong defense. They held Air Force to just 13 points and BYU to 14. They took a step back against Houston last week, allowing 38, but if they return to that season-opening level, they’ll have a great chance to at least keep this one within a score. See which team to pick here.

How to make Sam Houston vs. Jacksonville State picks

SportsLine’s model is leaning Over on the point total, projecting the teams to combine for 42 points. The model also says one side of the spread hits 60% of the time. You can see the model’s picks at SportsLine. 

So who wins Jacksonville State vs. Sam Houston, and which side of the spread hits 60% of the time? Visit SportsLine now to see which side of the spread you need to jump on, all from the model that has notched a profit of almost $2,500 on its top-rated college football spread picks, and find out.